A Travellin' Soldier
by TheMaudlinEffect
Summary: When the young and dashing soldier, Gouenji, goes off for the war, Haruna offers to receive his letters from the warzone and write back. Love blossoms as he promises to return, but then Fate intervenes. T for safety. AU GouenjiXHaruna. Oneshot.


**Disclaimer:**** I do not own Inazuma Eleven.**

**Based on song 'A travellin's Soldier' by Dixie Chicks.**

_**This is my first IE one shot… A little slow at first but picks up speed later on. This fic is for all GouenjiXHaruna fans! Enjoy!**_

_**This takes place around the world war II.  
><strong>_

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><p>It was almost time.<p>

Gouenji readjusted his bag and walked in slowly to sit in one of the seats near the counter.

It was not that he regretted his decision but….

Something was missing.

But… what?

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><p>The radio cackled in the background. Haruna didn't need to hear what it would be about.<p>

The war, of course.

The bell tinkled as the door opened- just one of the regular customers.

'The usual?' She asked.

He nodded.

As she poured out his coffee, she noticed that the platinum blond looked worried as he kept running his hand through his hair- like that he wanted to say something, but didn't know how to go about it.

'Do you need any help?' She asked.

He looked up, 'Uh… no.'

'Oh, okay….'

'Maybe I do.' Gouenji sighed, resigned, 'Do you mind sitting down and talk to me… I'm a little down…'

'My shift is over…. How about we go out for a walk?' Haruna said.

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><p>As he walked silently beside her, she couldn't help noticing that he was extremely good looking… way "out of her station", as Natsumi-san would say.<p>

'So?' she began, 'You're going for the war, right?' She gestured at his uniform.

He gave a nod, 'Yeah, father got me recruited right after my eighteenth birthday… It's goodbye to soccer academy and hello to trenches ', he gave a short derisive laugh, 'It's not that I don't want to go but….'

'But?'

'I don't know…. I feel I really don't have the motivation…..Somebody to protect…. Somebody to fight for… Everybody gets letters from the ones they love- my sister is barely ten, she wouldn't understand… and my father…', he faltered

Before she knew it, the words were out of her mouth,

'You could write to me.'

A beat of silence.

'I-it was just a suggestion… Really… I-'

'You wouldn't mind?'

'And I... what?'

'I asked… you wouldn't mind?', he said, his voice impossibly soft.

'Of course not!'

'Really?' His face looked beatific as hope lit his features.

'I told you so, I wouldn't mind it at all!', she replied, 'So… When are you leaving?'

'Today… actually… right now.' He jerked his head in the direction of the Inazuma Railway Station up ahead, 'And I almost forgot…. What your name? Can you give me your address?'

'Otonashi Haruna,' Haruna said as she gave him her address, 'What's yours?'

'Gouenji… or Corporal Gouenji Shuuya, I should say.' He gave her a parting smile as he slung his bag on his shoulder and then walked away.

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><p>After some weeks, Haruna had thought that Gouenji would've probably forgotten about it and so, she was surprised when the first letter arrived.<p>

It was short and his handwriting impeccable and neat, telling her he was in Kyoto and how it was going to be tough there.

He said it was little strange to write to virtual stranger and asked whether 'Otonashi san' minded.

She replied him almost immediately, she was glad to help him and he shouldn't bother calling her 'Otonashi san'.

As weeks flew by, they wrote to each other more often and more freely.

She often received short letters from him like:

'_Dear Otonashi san,'_ He was really stubborn about this 'Otonashi san' thing,

'_Currently I'm posted in Hokkaido. It's cold. It's very cold and Fubuki is being unbelievable. I can hear him going about how the weather is really pleasant._

_As I write this, I realize that I owe a lot to you Otonashi san. I'm always being selfish writing to you about my problems, I can't do anymore than that. Tell me more about yourself, I can't be the one who does all the talking._

_P.S: How much time will it take to stop calling me 'senpai'?  
><em>

_Gouenji'_

Almost as much as it will take to stop calling me 'Otonashi san', she thought as she wrote back.

He told her about his sister, his new comrades, night time kitchen raids under Corporal Endou, bad jokes about penguins …

She wrote back about her work, her friends, how everything was going in Inazuma Town and what was going on elsewhere in the world, trying to assure him that normal life was out there….

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><p>After some months, when Gouenji's battalion was in the battle field, he poured each of his pent up feelings in his letters.<p>

Shock. Horror. Loneliness. Pain. More pain.

'…_. Kobe is a nightmare. We're killing people… ruining families- it's like murder. We've fought well but we are also losing people… Yesterday we lost Handa, Max and Shourin. Is that how it feels when the people you know die? Is it even worse for the people you love? I was barely five when mom died, so I don't remember much. Tell me Otonashi , does your heart gets ripped into pieces, flung in the flames of despair? Or is it even worse?_

_I think I'd have lost my mind, if it had not been for you. My conscience is half dead….am I still human? I don't know._

_I don't want to know either._

_Gouenji'_

She told him to hang in there, keep fighting, but the truth was she always got worried at his ever deteriorating frame of mind.

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><p>Three months later, when he got posted in Okinawa, the things took a turn for better as it was much peaceful there and everybody had got a chance to recover and reorganize themselves.<p>

It was then, one day, she found a letter lying on her front porch, his writing barely legible.

Haruna ripped it open, fearing the worst.

'_Dear Haruna,_

_I know it's sudden, but I've thought about it many a times. I owe everything to you… I know I don't know that much about this world and I'm young and inexperienced, but I know this much that I've never felt like this about anyone. I really love you Haruna, and I mean it. I just can't imagine my life without you, Haruna._

_I understand if you don't feel the same way. If you don't… Don't reply and I promise I'll never write to you again._

_Gouenji_

She wrote back, telling him that she loved him too and that it was a little dense of him to not to realize her feelings by now.

He believed her, for the tear drops and the ink stains on her letter were proof enough.

They wrote more about their future now.

He told her about his plans, how he wanted a nice peaceful job (even though he had been promoted to the rank of a second lieutenant) and to be with her.

She wrote of her ideas of a perfect family, a new life with him.

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><p>After spending half a year in Okinawa, he was finally returning back. In his last letter, he had written that he was coming back.<p>

To home. Back to her.

As steam billowed everywhere, Haruna anxiously waited for his train to arrive.

The train slowed down and finally stopped.

As legions of soldiers filled the platform, she searched for Gouenji .

'Otonahi san?' She felt a gentle tap on her shoulder.

She turned to see a soldier, with dark brown hair and a morose expression.

'Yes? Where is Gouenji?'

'I'm Second Lieutenant Endou Mamoru,' he said, 'Gouenji.. he…'

'What happened?' Her heartbeat quickened.

' Th-there was a surprise attack… we had not expected…..,' His face had crumpled in misery.

It couldn't be, she thought.

'He asked me to give this to you,' He handed her an envelope, 'H-he said he loved you even in death…'

With that he bowed and went away.

Her hands shook as she opened the envelope and a diamond ring came out.

'_Haruna,_

_If you are reading this, it means that I wasn't able to make it._

_ I'm sorry. _

_The ring was my mother's. Even if you don't want to wear it, just keep it with you to remember me by. _

_One last thing. Can you use my surname as in... Gouenji Haruna?_

_ Take it as my last wish, Haruna. _

_I'm sorry. I really am sorry.  
><em>

_I love you._

_Yours forever,_

_Shuuya'_

_I cried  
>Never gonna hold the hand of another guy<br>Too young for him they told her  
>Waitin' for the love of a travelin' soldier<br>Our love will never end  
>Waitin' for the soldier to come back again<br>Never more to be alone when the letter said  
>A soldier's coming home.<em>

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><p><em><strong>How was it? Please review!<strong>_


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